One of my favorite purchases ever was Amazon‘s first edition Kindle many moons ago – a purchase prompted by Oprah’s Favorite Things excitement. Since then, I have collected an additional 4? 5? 6? Kindles and Kindle Fires through self purchases, gifts, and even 12 Days of Giveaways winnings from the Ellen show (another post in and of itself).
The Kindle was the first mass market reading tablet made available, allowing users to quickly download any books desired from the Amazon’s massive library for their reading pleasure. I purchased my first Kindle after a long flight to Beijing, when I decided that I was sick of carrying around 5-10 paperbacks to read on the plane and while on vacation. So I strategically made the switch before another long flight to Bali, and was instantly hooked. No more wasted backpack space! No more picking out only the “best” books for the trip! Instead, I could download as many books as I wanted to enjoy.
Since then, the Kindle has made many strides and has now become a full multimedia device. Amazon Prime members can maximize their experience with unlimited streaming of included movies and television shows, unlimited streaming of over a million songs, and the ability to borrow one free Kindle book a month (without due dates). All of this in addition to regular tablet functionality such as email, browsing, etc. makes the Kindle an easy purchase.
Which Kindle to Purchase?
If you are in the market for an e-reader, the Kindle is by far my favorite. There are many options available in the Kindle family depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re planning to use it for exclusive reading, go with either the base Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite, or the Kindle Voyage. All of these are designed specifically for heavy readers with emphasis on a long-lasting battery (weeks long), easy page turning technology, and – best of all – a display that is similar to an actual book (no eye strain as with other tablets!)
If you prefer more functionality, or plan to use the device to also browse the web, stream video or music, and perform other typical tablet functions, opt instead for a product from the Kindle Fire line. There are a variety of options available depending on desired screen size, display type, and capability. There is even a Kindle Fire Kids Edition which has an incredible 2-year guarantee – if your kids break it, Amazon will replace it – no hassle.
Personally, I recommend starting with the Kindle Fire 7″ Display. It has all functionality needed for the average user, including streaming, and is available for a great price – averaging between $34.99 and $49.99 depending on sales. This is the model Kindle that I use most.
Don’t Have a Kindle?
You don’t need one! You can download the free Kindle app from pretty much any channel you can think of: iOS, Android, PC, and MAC. I use this app often when I don’t have my Kindle on me. A great benefit is that the app auto-synchronizes across all your devices, meaning that wherever you left off on your mobile phone, you will automatically pick up on your computer. If you have any interest in reading, I strongly recommend the Kindle app. It’s free and provides you access to an extensive library of free content.
Free Kindle Books
An often overlooked benefit of the Kindle and the Kindle app is the plethora of FREE e-books available. I’ve literally gone years without spending a dime on new books simply by taking advantage of free e-books of interest. So I’ve decided to post a round-up of 30 currently free Kindle books that you may be interested in. Please note – while all of these books are free as of the time of posting, some remain free for only a limited period of time. Please confirm pricing before purchase.
Check out this list of 30 #FREE @AmazonKindle #books in #cooking, #parenting, & more! Share on X
Free Cookbooks
Free Parenting Books
Free Pregnancy Books
Free Kids Books
Free Inspirational Books
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